Seven Mile Rim

These are just general write ups.  For how the trail is being ran on the day you sign up be sure &check the forums in the trail section on the day you sign up for.

The Seven Mile Rim trail leaves Highway 191 just north of Highway 313, about 11 miles north of town. It passes the old Cotter uranium mine and switches back to reach the cliff rim above the mine and Highway 191. The intense mining activity left a maze of core-drilling roads on the mesa top, and the trail seeks the most interesting of these. It travels south near the cliff rim above Highway 191 before turning west above Seven Mile Canyon, which carries Highway 313. Along the way, Uranium Arch will be visited. The trail joins other roads in the vicinity of Merrimac Butte, Monitor Butte, Determination Towers, and Big Mesa. Most of the trail is easy but has an optional climb near Uranium Arch and a sandy hill near the end that is sometimes full of holes. A sidehill slickrock portion around the south side of Merrimac Butte may be intimidating to the “scaredy-cats” (which includes most of us), but all of us have completed it unscathed. Wounded or tired vehicles can bypass the worst obstacles, but the bypasses are often a long way around. Approximate mileages: 50 total, 21 off highway.

Scenery: The trail route is near the Moab Fault, a geological fracture that left the trademark rocks of Canyonlands standing higher than the surrounding colorful Morrison formation, which was deposited later. Entrada Sandstone cliffs are constantly in view. The rim views include Sevenmile Canyon, the Arches National Park area, and the Book Cliffs to the north.

Road Surface: There is considerable two-track dirt road, a sandy hill, washbottom, and some slickrock.

Highlights: The cliff rim portions are mainly scenic and would rate 2½ to 3. Uranium Arch can be walked across. The south side of Merrimac Butte has exciting slickrock sidehill driving and is near Wipe-Out Hill, which can be visited if there is time. The last part of the trail, if used, runs the reverse direction of the Wipe-Out Hill trail in the Tusher Canyon system, and finds easy hills of the Wipe-Out trail to be hard and vice-versa.

Trail Rating: Blue

Trail Description Courtesy of RR4W

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